Buckle



Nov. 21, 1944. F. A. BEST BUCKLE Filed July 29,'1943 m5 m +2 ma@ w mA M n m Hk Pal. 1

` tion.'

Q; Appiicatin Julyle, 1 v42 Claires, (elseif-f77) I- .This inventionxrelates te buckles and more par` ticularly, .tor buckles for flexible .straps,be1ts on the' nke.

One'.object of means. v

Another object ofthe-invention isto 'provideaA buckle. ofithe character indicated; wherein the strap or belt 'is grippedby cooperation-between? relatively movable buckle Apartsand wherein the said buckle partsare movablyf-'attached to each.

other insimplefandsecure fashion, and invsuch manner that tension on the strap or belt increases the gripping action of the buckle` parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a buckle which is readily assembled from two separately formed metal stampingswith a minimum number of machine operations or other labor costs.

These objects, and others not specifically menthepresentinvention is to .pro-- vldea simple, sturdyland-lefcient buckle which. e'it'ectsa gripping actionmainly bysurfaoe fric-r tion `between-the strap or Ibelt :and `the coacting yfaces Sor.` edges vof the buckle elements, and-.with-Ly l out recourse lto penetration of the strap orlbelt by teeth,"'pri:ngs,v tines 'or similar fabricepiercing 943, Serial No. 496,533

front'fend bar I6; Forwardly spaced from therear? end lbar I and attached at its ends to the side bars I3 and lIII isv a cross bar I'I around which .the butt end of afstrap or'belt I8^is1'ooped,`thet loop `being secured'l-in' any 'suitable way,j as by`V rivets, snap members, orfby the'stitching- I 9 here 4shown .(Fig'. 2), r l i lIntegrnly yunited with the.. main fram-e rand extending rearwardly from the front end-bar tinctionq to previously known ltypes of nbuckles Where movable links are-supported only` at corners or lateral edges. In use, the free end 25 of the strap or belt is inserted upwardly through link I2 and past the adjacent front edge of end bar I6. The assembly (Fig. 5) is now inwhat may be termed a pretioned but which will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of thisl specieationvand the accompanying drawing, are attained in amanner now to be described. Although said drawingillustrates the essential features of my invention, it should be understood that the drawing is not to 'be regarded in a limiting s ense as it illustrates: merely one structure in which the Ainventive concept is embodied. In said drawing,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my buckle in attached and gripping position;

Fi'g. 2l is a sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the two elements vkforming the buckle of Figs. 1 and 2, said elements being separated for clarity of illustra Fig. 4 is a. side elevation of the buckle shown inthe preceding views, and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, showing the buckle l attachedto the butt end of a strap or belt, as in bars, I3 and I4, and two opposed end bars consisting, respectively, of a rear end bar I5 and a.

.liminary gripping stage, as tension on the strap or belt inthe direction of the arrow A swings the link from the position shownin Fig. 4 to that of Fig. 5. The strap or belt is thusgripped between link I2 and end Ibai'y I6, and increasing tension on the strap or belt actually increases the gripping force: of the buckle by urging thel link I2 closer to a horizontal position, with the consequent pinching of the strap more tightly between the free edge of the link and the end bar I6. As previously noted, the tensional force is distributed uniformly to the' buckle, being borne evenly -by the channelled tongue 22 along a line transversely of the buckle.

In the position shown in Fig. 5, the strap or belt may be used to support loads and will not slip while the tension is maintained., It is readily removed or adjusted as to length by slacking off the tension and making the desired adjustment. A more denite and'secure locking effect, and a neater assembly, is achieved by advancing .the free end 25 of the strap orv belt from the posi.- tion shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 2, which is accomplished merely Vby inserting said free end under the rear end bar I5 of the buckle and drawing it to the left of Fig. 2 as far as it will go. This positionis more appropriate, for example, when the buckle is used as a part of a belt for wearing apparel.

be specifically described. As its side and end members are symmetrically disposed with respect to longitudinal and transverse center lines, it

can be handled and assembled in the shortest pos- One` part of the stamping die,

ing die cuts a U-shaped slot, dening the crOSv/r bar I1. The metal partially surrounded by the U slot is simultaneously mechanically deformedl prising a body member and a link member carried by said body member, said body member consisting of a generally rectangular frame having two side bars, two end bars, and a cross bar integrally connected, at its ends, to said side bars and disposed parallel to and between said end bars, one of said end bars having integral with the inner edge thereof a channelled tongue, said tongue having a free edge extending towards but spaced from'said. cross bar, said link member being of rectangular open;frame form with two spaced cross bars, said link being movably den pendent from said channelled tongue, and a cross l bar of said link being confined within said chaninto the channelled tongue 22 with two objectsfin1 view; namely, to provide a retaining seat for link I2, and to leave a clearance space 28y through which the strap or belt loop I8 passes (Figs. 2 andy vent accidental separation of the link from the mainframe.

To those skilled inthe art to which the present invention` relates, further features and advantages of buckles embodying such invention will be evident from the foregoing descriptionA of one suchv emb odiment.

What I claim is:

1. A buckle for attaching twostrap ends, comy Originally, the vertical clearance nelled tongue.

2. Abuckle for attaching two strap ends, comprising a metal body member, and a link member swingably depending from said body member, said body member consisting of a generally rectangular frame having two longitudinally disposed side bars; av front end bar and a rear end bar integrahrespectively, with the front and rear ends of the side bars, a cross bar integrally connected at'its ends to said side bars, and disposedparallel to and betweensaid end bars, so as to dene, within theside andendbars, forwardly and rear'-V wardly4 disposed. apertures, saidr front end bar' having integral4 withA the inner edge thereof a tongue of channelled contour having a free edge extending towards: but short of said cross bar,

said link member being of hollow frame form hav'- ingv spaced side and end members, one side member ot said link being pivotally confined within the concavity of said channelled tongue and the other side member of said link being freely dependable in oscillatory relationship.

i A. BEST. 

